Improvement in compound explosive projectiles



M. L. .MC'ALL'ENDER Shell.

\ 6 686 Patented Oct. 14, 1862. i 0. b

N- PETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAPl-ER. WASHINGTON, D c.

MILLS L. OALLENDER, OF NEWV YORK, N.

ll rrrcn.

WELLING, AND ELBERT PEROE, ASSIGNORS T0 CHARLES H. WELLING.

HVIPROVEMENT IN COMPOUND EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,686,

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, thus L. CALLENDER, of the State and city of New York, have invented a new and useful Projectile for Guns and Ordnance; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing elongated shot for guns and ordnance for producing a rotary motion without rifling the gun, and also an appliance for penetrating hard and refractory substances and exploding therein.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct my proj ectile in nearly the usual elongated forms, with a central bore drilled from the point to near the base or rear of the projectile, as represented in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, and designed to contain a charge of explosive material, A, with a round and pointed bar of steel fitted to the bore, and of alength suflicient to project beyond the bore when the chamber is charged at A. This bar has a bore drilled from its base or rear to near the point which is to contain an explosive charge, 0, and secured therein with a plug and fuse, D. The remaining part of the bore has inserted a short cup or tube with a percussion tube or nipple inserted into one end at E, and the outer and closed end perforated with a number of small holes. This tube contains a small ball of metal, F, of a size to move freely in it. The base of the shot has a chamber in the form with a screw-plug, G, provided with a balland-socket valve and spring at H, opening inward, and also having its beveled peripher grooved tangential to the axis of the shot, as at I I I.

. When this projectile is being discharged from a gun, the ignited gases enter the chamber K through the grooves I I I and the valve H, where its great expansive force is retained until the projectile leaves the gun, when the valve H closes and the gas escapes only through the tangential grooves I I I, to give the projectile a propelling and also a powerful reactionary rotary motion around the line of its axis.

of a truncated cone,

the gases and dated October 14, 1862.

The chamber K may contain -meal-powder or similar material to ignite when discharged from the gun, to produce the same effect in giving the projectile a rotary motion; or two or more chambers can be used, part to contain a semi-explosive material and a part to receive discharge them, as first represented.

When the projectile strikes and penetrates an object, the ball F'is thrown forward, striking and exploding the cap or percussion material at E, which ignites the fuse D and explodes the charge A. This drives out the bar of steel to the extent of its penetrating power,

, which in its turn explodes when the ignited fuse D reaches the magazine O.

I am aware that projectiles have been used charged with explosive material and having rear outlets on a line with the axisas, forinstance, the Congreve rocket and others; but my invention consists in having the outlets arranged tangential to the axis of the projectile. It also consists, specifically, in utilizing a portion of the gases that discharge the projectile from the gun by means of the chamber K and valve H and tangential outlets I I I, so as to give the projectile a forward and rotary motion at the same time.

I am also aware that projectiles have been used with steel points when secured to and are a part of the projectile. I11 my invention the bar of steel is separate from the shot, and in tended to be forced out.(after the projectile has obtained its penetration, or nearly so) by the charge A, on the principle of a punch, which in its turn explodes.

'What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A projectile having a steel bar or center inserted on a line with its axis, when said bar contains an independent exploding-magazine.

2. The combination, in a projectile, of a dischargingchamber and penetrating bar of steel or similar metal having an exploding-maga zine within it, and supplied with a percussion and fuse apparatus, for the purposes and in the manner as set forth.

J. B. WOODRUFF, S. XV. 700D.

Y'., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, c. H. 

